Apparatus of controlling vehicle and method thereof

ABSTRACT

An apparatus of controlling a vehicle and a method thereof are provided. The operating region of an engine is operated with theoretical air-fuel ratio. The apparatus includes a supercharger that supplies compressed air to a the combustion chamber of the engine and a spark plug that ignites mixed air supplied to the combustion chamber. An intake valve selectively opens and closes the combustion chamber for inflowing the mixed air therein. A variable valve apparatus adjusts an opening timing and closing timing of the intake valve and a controller adjusts an ignition timing of the spark plug and the closing timing of the intake valve through the variable valve apparatus based on the operating region of the engine.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.17/101,940, filed Nov. 23, 2020, which claims priority to and thebenefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0068757 filed on Jun.8, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND (a) Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus of controlling a vehicleand a method thereof, and more particularly, to an apparatus ofcontrolling a vehicle and a method thereof that suppress knockinggenerated in an engine and reduce carbon monoxide emission.

(b) Description of the Related Art

Generally, fuel amount of a gasoline engine is determined based on atheoretical air-fuel ratio. As fuel amount approaches the theoreticalair-fuel ratio, fuel may be completely combusted in the cylinder andpurifying efficiency of catalyst for purifying exhaust gas is improved.However, when knocking occurs in a high load region, a rich burn with ahigher fuel ratio than the theoretical air-fuel ratio is performed. Whenthe rich burn is performed, the knocking margin is secured and theexhaust temperature may be reduced, thereby preventing damage to partsaround the engine and increasing engine output. On the other hand, whenrich burn is performed, the exhaust amount of carbon monoxide (CO) isincreased excessively.

In addition, when the engine operates in a low speed region, scavengingis performed to secure a turbocharger's performance, but this an exhaustamount of carbon monoxide to increase. However, when the engine isoperated with the theoretical air/fuel ratio (theoretical air-fuelratio) in all operating regions, the rich burn is unable to be performedto reduce knocking. Therefore, research is required to suppress knockingand reduce the amount of carbon monoxide exhaust when the engine isoperated with the theoretical air-fuel ratio in all operating regions.

The above information disclosed in this section is merely forenhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosure, andtherefore it may contain information that does not form the prior artthat is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill inthe art.

SUMMARY

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an apparatusof controlling a vehicle and a method thereof that suppress knocking andreduce the exhaust amount of carbon monoxide when an engine is operatedat the theoretical air/fuel ratio in all operating regions.

An apparatus of controlling a vehicle in which all operating region ofan engine are operated with theoretical air-fuel ratio according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include asupercharger configured to supply compressed air to a the combustionchamber of the engine, an spark plug configured to ignite mixed airsupplied to the combustion chamber, an intake valve configured toselectively open and close the combustion chamber for inflowing themixed air therein, a variable valve apparatus configured to adjust anopening timing and closing timing of the intake valve, and a controllerconfigured to adjust an ignition timing of the spark plug and theclosing timing of the intake valve through the variable valve apparatusbased on the operating region of the engine.

The operating region may include a first operating region having alow-load region and a middle-load region, and a second operating regionhaving a high-load region. When a knocking is generated in the firstoperating region, the controller may be configured to retard theignition timing comparing to a normal ignition timing by a predeterminedcrank angle. When the knocking is not generated in the first operatingregion, the controller may be configured to restore the ignition timingto the normal ignition timing.

When the knocking is generated in the second operating region, thecontroller may be configured to advance the closing timing of the intakevalve by a predetermined crank angle from an initial closing timing, andretard the ignition timing comparing to a normal ignition timing by apredetermined crank angle. When the closing timing of the intake valvereaches a target closing timing, the controller may be configured torestore the ignition timing to the normal ignition timing. When theknocking is not generated after the ignition timing is restored to thenormal ignition timing, the controller may be configured to adjust theclosing timing of the intake valve to the initial closing timing. Whenthe knocking is generated in the second operating region, the controllermay be configured to increase a supercharging pressure of the compressedair through the supercharger.

A method of controlling a vehicle in which all operating region of anengine are operated with theoretical air-fuel ratio according to anotherexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include detectingwhether a knocking is generated in a combustion chamber of the engine bya vibration sensor, when the knocking is generated in the combustionchamber, adjusting an ignition timing by an spark plug based onoperating regions of the engine by a controller, and adjusting a closingtiming of an intake valve by a variable valve apparatus by thecontroller.

The operating region may include a first operating region including alow-load region and a middle-load region, and a second operating regionincluding a high-load region. When a knocking is generated in the firstoperating region, by the controller, the ignition timing by the sparkplug may be retarded compared to a normal ignition timing by apredetermined crank angle. When the knocking is not generated in thefirst operating region, by the controller, the ignition timing by thespark plug may be restored to the normal ignition timing.

When the knocking is generated in the second operating region, by thecontroller, the closing timing of the intake valve may be advanced by apredetermined crank angle from an initial closing timing, and theignition timing may be retarded by a predetermined crank angle comparingto a normal ignition timing. When the closing timing of the intake valvereaches a target closing timing, by the controller, the ignition timingmay be restored to the normal ignition timing. When the knocking is notgenerated after the ignition timing is restored to the normal ignitiontiming, by the controller, the closing timing of the intake valve may berestored to the initial closing timing.

The method according to another exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure may further include increasing a supercharging pressure ofthe compressed air through the supercharger by the controller. Accordingto the an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure as describedabove, it may be possible to suppress the occurrence of knocking andreduce the exhaust amount of carbon monoxide by adjusting the closingtiming of the intake valve and the ignition timing of the spark plug.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings are used to be referred to in describing exemplaryembodiments of the present disclosure, so a technical concept of thepresent disclosure should not be meant to restrict the disclosure to theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is schematic diagram illustrating an engine system applied withan apparatus of controlling a vehicle according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus of controlling avehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating an operating region of an engineaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a vehicleaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a timing diagram for explaining a method of controlling avehicle in a first operating region according to an exemplary embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram for explaining a method of controlling avehicle in a second operating region according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodimentsof the disclosure are shown. As those skilled in the art would realize,the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, allwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.

It is understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicular” or other similarterm as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such aspassenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses,trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety ofboats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles,electric vehicles, combustion, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles,hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g.fuels derived from resources other than petroleum).

Although exemplary embodiment is described as using a plurality of unitsto perform the exemplary process, it is understood that the exemplaryprocesses may also be performed by one or plurality of modules.Additionally, it is understood that the term controller/control unitrefers to a hardware device that includes a memory and a processor andis specifically programmed to execute the processes described herein.The memory is configured to store the modules and the processor isspecifically configured to execute said modules to perform one or moreprocesses which are described further below.

Furthermore, control logic of the present disclosure may be embodied asnon-transitory computer readable media on a computer readable mediumcontaining executable program instructions executed by a processor,controller/control unit or the like. Examples of the computer readablemediums include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, compact disc(CD)-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards andoptical data storage devices. The computer readable recording medium canalso be distributed in network coupled computer systems so that thecomputer readable media is stored and executed in a distributed fashion,e.g., by a telematics server or a Controller Area Network (CAN).

Unless specifically stated or obvious from context, as used herein, theterm “about” is understood as within a range of normal tolerance in theart, for example within 2 standard deviations of the mean. “About” canbe understood as within 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%,0.1%, 0.05%, or 0.01% of the stated value. Unless otherwise clear fromthe context, all numerical values provided herein are modified by theterm “about.”

To clarify the present disclosure, portions irrespective of descriptionare limited and like numbers refer to like elements throughout thespecification. The sizes and thicknesses of the configurations shown inthe drawings are provided selectively for the convenience ofdescription, such that the present disclosure is not limited to thoseshown in the drawings and the thicknesses are exaggerated to make someparts and regions clear.

Furthermore, the control logic of the present disclosure may be embodiedas non-transitory computer readable media on a computer readable mediumcontaining executable program instructions executed by a processor, acontroller, or the like. Examples of computer readable media include,but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, compact disc (CD)-ROMs, magnetictapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards, and optical data storagedevices. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributedin network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable mediaare stored and executed in a distributed fashion, e.g., by a telematicsserver or a controller area network (CAN).

Hereinafter, an apparatus of controlling a vehicle according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described indetail with reference to accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is schematic diagram illustrating an engine system applied withan apparatus of controlling a vehicle according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a block diagramillustrating an apparatus of controlling a vehicle according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. First, an engine systemapplied an apparatus of controlling a vehicle according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure will be described. As shown in FIG.1 and FIG. 2 , an engine system according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure may include an engine 10, a supercharger 40, aspark plug 20, a variable valve apparatus 30 and a controller 60.

In particular, the engine 10 may include at least one combustion chamber11 that generates power required for driving the vehicle by burningfuel. The engine 10 may include an intake valve 12 selectively openingor closing for supplying air and fuel into the combustion chamber 11,and an exhaust valve 13 selectively opening or closing for exhaustingexhaust gas generated from the combustion chamber 11.

The variable valve apparatus 30 (VVA) may be configured to adjust anopening timing and a closing timing of the intake valve 12 and/or theexhaust valve 13. The variable valve apparatus 30 according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be a variable valvetiming apparatus. The variable valve timing apparatus is widely known inthe art, so a more detailed description thereof will not be presented inthe present specification. The spark plug 20 may ignite a mixed air(e.g., fuel and air) inflow into the combustion chamber 11 through arcdischarge. The mixed air injected into the combustion chamber 11 by theinjector 22 may be ignited by arc discharge of the spark plug 20, anddriving power of a vehicle may be generated through a compression strokeof a high temperature and a high pressure. The spark plug 20 may ignitethe mixed air by spark discharge generated by high current supplied froman ignition coil.

The supercharger 40 may be configured to supercharge an intake air andsupply the air to the combustion chamber 11 of the engine 10. Examplesof the supercharger 40 may be a turbocharger or an electricsupercharger. The turbocharger may be configured to rotate a turbineusing pressure of exhaust gas exhausted from the engine 10, and increasean engine output by supplying the intake air having high pressure to thecombustion chamber 11. The electric supercharger may be configured tocompress the intake air by operating a compressor using a motor. Sincethe electric supercharger is operated by an electric power supplied froma batter, there is a merit that there is almost no turbo rack. Theelectric supercharger may include a motor and a compressor.

The controller 60 may be configured to suppress a knocking by adjustingan operation of the variable valve apparatus 30, the spark plug 20, andthe supercharger 40 based on an operating region, when the knocking isgenerated in the combustion chamber 11 of the engine 10. Accordingly,the controller 60 may be provided as one or more processors operated bya set program, and the set program may perform each operation of amethod of operating a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure. The operating region may be divided into a firstoperating region and a second operating region. As shown in FIG. 3 , thefirst operating region may include a low-load region and a middle-loadregion, and the second operating region may include a high-load region.

Whether the knocking is generated in the combustion chamber 11 may bedetected by a knocking detecting sensor 50 provided in the combustionchamber 11. The knocking detecting sensor 50 may be a vibration sensordisposed within the combustion chamber 11 of the engine 10, or apressure sensor configured to detect the pressure in the combustionchamber 11. But the scope of the present is not limited thereto.

Hereinafter, a method of controlling a vehicle according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail withreference to accompanying drawings. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating amethod of controlling a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a timing diagram for explaining amethod of controlling a vehicle in a first operating region according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a timingdiagram for explaining a method of controlling a vehicle in a secondoperating region according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the knocking detecting sensor 50 may be configuredto detect whether the knocking is generated in the combustion chamber11, and a detecting signal of the knocking detecting sensor 50 may betransmitted to the controller 60. The controller 60 may be configured todetermine whether the knocking is generated based on the detectingsignal at step S10. The controller 60 may be configured to determine theoperating region of the engine 10 at step S20. When the knocking isdetected in the first operating region, the controller 60 may beconfigured to retard an ignition timing by the spark plug 20 comparingto a normal ignition timing by a predetermined crank angle at step S30(refer to FIG. 5 ). For example, assume that the crank angle CA when apiston is positioned at a TDC (top dead center) is 0 degree, and thenormal ignition timing is 0 CA.

When the knocking is generated in the first operating region, thecontroller 60 may be configured to operate the spark plug 20 to retardthe ignition timing to 4 CA compared to the normal ignition timing (0CA). Accordingly, when the ignition timing is retarded, the temperatureinside the combustion chamber 11 may decrease and the knocking in thecombustion chamber 11 may be suppressed. Then, when the knocking is notdetected from the detecting signal of the knocking detecting sensor 50,the controller 60 may be configured to restore the ignition timing ofthe spark plug 20 to the normal ignition timing at step S32.

When the knocking is detected in the second operating region at stepS20, the controller 60 may be configured to advance a closing timing ofthe intake valve 12 by a predetermined crank angle from a normal closingtiming through the variable valve apparatus 30, and retard an ignitiontiming by the spark plug 20 comparing to a normal ignition timing by apredetermined crank angle at step S40 (refer to FIG. 6 ). For example,assuming that the crank angle CA when a piston is positioned at a TDC(top dead center) is 0 degree, the crank angle CA when the piston ispositioned at a BDC (bottom dead center) is 180 degrees, the normalclosing timing is 180 CA, and the normal ignition timing is 0 CA.

When the knocking is generated in the second operating region, thecontroller 60 may be configured to operate the spark plug 20 so that theignition timing is 4 CA retarded comparing to the normal ignition timing(0 CA), and operate the variable valve apparatus 30 so that the closingtiming of the intake valve 12 is 6 CA advanced from the normal closingtiming (180 CA). Then, when the closing timing of the intake valve 12reaches a target closing timing (e.g., 6 CA), the controller 60 may beconfigured to restore the ignition timing of the spark plug 20 to thenormal ignition timing at step S42.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when theknocking is generated in the second operating region, the knocking maybe suppressed by advancing the closing timing of the intake valve 12 andsimultaneously retarding the ignition timing of the spark plug 20.Further, when the closing timing of the intake valve 12 reaches thetarget closing timing, the ignition timing of the spark plug 20 may berestored to the normal ignition timing.

As described above, early in the generation of the knocking, theknocking may be suppressed through a retardation of the ignition timingthe spark plug 20 with a relatively fast reaction speed. And when theclosing timing of the intake valve 12 is advanced to the target closingtiming, the ignition timing of the spark plug 20 may be restored to thenormal ignition timing, thereby minimizing the increment of the exhaustgas temperature. In other words, the knocking may be suppressed byretardation of the ignition timing at the beginning of the knocking, andafter that the closing timing of the intake valve 12 may be advanced tosuppress the knocking.

Further, when the knocking is generated in the second operating region,the closing timing of the intake valve 12 and the ignition timing of thespark plug 20 may be adjusted, and the supercharging pressure by thesupercharger 40 may be increased simultaneously at step S40. Byincreasing the supercharging pressure by the supercharger 40, it may bepossible to minimize the decrement of the engine torque caused by theignition timing and the closing timing of the intake valve 12.Thereafter, when the knocking is not detected from the detecting signalof the knocking detecting sensor 50, the controller 60 may be configuredto restore the closing timing of the intake valve 12 to the normalclosing timing through the variable valve apparatus 30 at step S44.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

10: engine

11: combustion chamber

12: intake valve

13: exhaust valve

20: spark plug

30: variable valve apparatus

40: supercharger

50: knocking detecting sensor

60: controller

While this disclosure has been described in connection with what ispresently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to beunderstood that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed exemplaryembodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of controlling a vehicle in which alloperating region of an engine are operated with theoretical air-fuelratio, comprising: detecting, by a vibration sensor, whether a knockingis generated in a combustion chamber of the engine; when the knocking isgenerated in the combustion chamber, adjusting by a controller, anignition timing by a spark plug based on operating regions of theengine; and adjusting, by the controller, a closing timing of an intakevalve by a variable valve apparatus; wherein the operating regionincludes a first operating region having a low-load region and amiddle-load region and a second operating region having a high-loadregion; wherein when the knocking is generated in the second operatingregion, by the controller, advancing the closing timing of the intakevalve by a predetermined crank angle from an initial closing timing, andretarding the ignition timing by a predetermined crank angle compared toa normal ignition timing; and wherein when the closing timing of theintake valve reaches a target closing timing, by the controller,restoring the ignition timing to the normal ignition timing.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein when a knocking is generated in the firstoperating region, by the controller, the ignition timing by the sparkplug is retarded compared to a normal ignition timing by a predeterminedcrank angle.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein when the knocking is notgenerated in the first operating region, by the controller, the ignitiontiming by the spark plug is restored to the normal ignition timing. 4.The method of claim 1, wherein when the knocking is not generated afterthe ignition timing is restored to the normal ignition timing, by thecontroller, the closing timing of the intake valve is restored to theinitial closing timing.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprisingwhen the knocking is generated in the second operating regionincreasing, by the controller, a supercharging pressure of thecompressed air through the supercharger.